


"Go Ahead"

by Elise_Arveldis



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Goodbyes, Heartbreak, Protective Bucky Barnes, original character needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:08:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24403339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elise_Arveldis/pseuds/Elise_Arveldis
Summary: 'Better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.'With a sad smile, he kept himself from yelling, “You punk.” Instead, he turned to Sam.“Go ahead.”
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Original Female Character(s), Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	"Go Ahead"

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own anything of the MCU. 
> 
> I wanted to write up another reason why Bucky would tell Sam to approach Old Steve first, and by himself; This is my slight, alternative take for the ending of 'Avengers: Endgame'.

Bucky’s steel grey eyes stared hauntingly at her. “You know how this’ll end, Vi.”

She couldn’t bear to look at his earnest face, and looked out the window. “Say no more. Please?” Her voice came short, the tone jilted with weight.

“Tell me you do. It’s staring at you right in the face. You’re not just my pal’s girl. You’re like a sister now. So look me in the eyes and tell me this is what you want; that you’re okay with it.”

“I do see it, but I love him, Bucky. For all that he’s done, if I love him and can give him love… a solace from all of this, I will. I know that one day it won’t be enough for him, but I’m doing this for me too.. Until that day comes, he deserves to be loved.” There was a pause in the room. The ticking of the clock became a chasm between them.

“You deserve better than to come second, Vi. He’s a good man, but it doesn't mean he’s got the right to string you along and break your heart.”

She shifted her gaze towards him, trying to implore with him for understanding as tears welled in her eyes. “I know. I need him, and if my heart ends up broken anyways, why not savour the time I have before it’s gone. It’s 'better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all,' right?”

Bucky’s heavy figure loomed above her, his hands settled to cradle her face. “No matter what happens, I’ll be here for you. That punk’s like a brother to me, but between a brother and a sister, you know I’ll always choose my sister.”

“Thank you.” Throat closed and eyes burning, she fell into the soldier’s familial embrace. She followed through with her words. She fought for him and gave him all her love, until it was no longer enough for him.

* * *

“Wait!” Valencia ran toward the man who was getting ready to get on the platform. Face flushed with adrenaline, she stood in front of Steve. “I have to tell you something, I’m-”

But as his tired eyes gazed down to her, she couldn’t help but stop herself. His expressions did always seem transparent to her. There was a yearning for something out of reach in those blue irises. It was something she hadn’t seen in a long time. She hated herself but the matter she wanted to bring up was too important to just let him return the stones without knowing what to come back to. She went with her instincts and barreled ownard, “In five months time-”

“So this can wait?”

“Technically yes, there’s time but-”

“So you won’t mind if we left this alone. For now.” It wasn’t a questioning tone, and she knew it was already too late.

“Steve, I-”

“It’ll just be a few seconds, right, Banner?” Everything in his gaze at that moment revealed it all to her. He wasn’t planning on returning, and he didn’t want a reason that would require him to come back.

The green man looked at the two with slight trepidation. “If everything goes to plan, it should seem that way to us.” He moved to get the briefcase.

“Then that settles it.” He held her shoulders, and walked her away from the others. She knew she should say something, but with his determined dismissal of her, her heart trembled to lodge in her throat. All that she could manage was a small smile that mustn’t have reached her eyes.

“This is it?” A barely-there whisper between the two.

They both glimpsed the same thing: a silhouette up ahead. “It is.”

_‘I still need you. We need you.’_

“I’ll always be here, Stevie.” She tried to exude a calm smile, like nothing was wrong.

“I know, and thank you, Vi.” He sweetly placed a kiss on her forehead, and she revelled in his warmth for the last time. She squeezed his hand, let go, and took a step back to let him finish his preparations. Even before the time machine whirled to life, Valencia had started to distance herself from history.

Sam and Bucky stood on the sidelines. Both looked worried. Both started to share the same thoughts. Looking at Valencia’s silhouette, they both looked toward the platform, expecting.

When Banner counted down from 5, nothing appeared on the platform. “Where is he?” Banner tried the machine again as a response, whilst Bucky stood silent.

Looking in the direction of Valencia, both men took a step toward her. She was far away, but still visible to know she had stood stationary with a wavering frame. Bucky drew his arm in front of Sam, “Let me, man.”

He ran and came face to face, only to see her with a blank countenance. “He left us.” Her voice was hoarse. It didn’t register into his head, that by ‘us’ she didn’t mean them. Her body was trembling slightly, but her clenched fists were held very still against her abdomen. “I love him and he had to have known-” Her breathing hitched. “He’d stayed back.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” He had nothing else to say. He hugged her, and she shook harder as her facade broke. Now that someone was there to support her, she didn’t have to seem so put together. “Maybe he’s just running a little late…” They both knew that was wishful thinking. Bucky had already said goodbye.

With a shaking head, she resignedly said, “He’s already here, at the bench.”

He took a step from her, looking over her head past where he came from. “He-”

“Please don’t say anything.”

“He should-”

“Nothing would change if you did. Please, I’m begging you. He deserved his happiness. I knew this would happen eventually, right?” She side-stepped him and drove off.

Walking back to Banner and Wilson, Bucky couldn’t help but feel displaced. Within moments, pointing at a relatively distant area, he told the men, “He’s over there.” Sure, he was happy that Steve finally found his happiness, but he also knew that he could have been happy in this time too. Steve just never wanted to fully let go of his ideal life, that it eclipsed what was in front him. So when he and Sam got close to where the old man sat with a familiar round object, he knew there was only one way he’d be able to keep his promise to Valencia.

With a sad smile, he kept himself from yelling, _“You punk."_ Instead, he turned to Sam.

“Go ahead.”


End file.
